2006 - Project Prometheus Final Report

The Prometheus Project Reactor Module Final Report KAPL letter SPP-67110-0008 / Bettis letter B-SE-0155 dated April 24, 2006 (4/24/2006) provides a integrated project summary of efforts on the project. The report was requested following a NASA decision in Sept 2005 to terminate NR Program participation in the project.

Volume 1 Provides a Program Summary

Volume 2 Provides a Technical Summary

Volume 3 Provides a Bibliography (documents that are not flagged as controlled are available from OSTI.GOV)

Keywords: JIMO, Jupiter Icy Moons Orbiter, NASA

Table of Contents of Report:

Volume 1 : Program Summary

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .............................................................................................. 1-3

INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND ...................................................................... 1-5

PROJECT SCOPE ..................................................................................................... 1-8

3.1 Prometheus Project Goals ....................................................................................... 1-8

3.2 Comparison to Past Space Reactor Projects .............................................................1 -8

3.3 Project Challenges ....................................................................................................1 -9

PROJECT MANAGEMENT APPROACH ..................................................................1 -11

4.1 Planning Documents ............................................................................................1..-.1 1

4.1 . 1 Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM) ....................................................1. -11

4.1.2 SNPP Work Breakdown Structure .............................................................1..- 12

4.1.3 Space Reactor Planning Estimate (SRPE) ...............................................1..- 13

4.2 Acquisition Strategy .............................................................................................1..-.1. 6

4.3 Assembly, Test, and Launch Operations (ATLO) Strategy ...................................... 1-17

4.4 Program Management Perspectives. .....................................................................1..- 20

ASSET TRANSFER ................................................................................................... 1-21

5.1 NRPCT Documentation .........................................................................................1..- 21

5.1 . 1 NRPCT Technical and Programmatic Documents ....................................... 1-21

5.1.2 Accessibility of NRPCT Prometheus Information ......................................... 1-21

5.2 Equipment and Materials ......................................................................................1..-.2 2

PROJECT COST ....................................................................................................1 - 2 3

6.1 Total Project Cost (Inception-to-Date): ..................................................................1..- 23

6.2 Residual Project Closeout Costs (Through FY06): .................................................1 -24

Volume 2: Technical Summary

1 INTRODUCTION AND SUMMARY .............................................................................. 2-3

1. 1 Background ............................................................................................................2..-.3

1.2 Summary of Feasibility Studies and Concept Selection .............................................2 -3

1.3 Project Prometheus Requirements ...........................................................................2. -5

1.4 Technical Challenges .............................................................................................2..-.8

1.5 Gas-cooled Reactor Brayton Concept Description. ................................................2..- 10

2 REACTORSUMMARY ........................................................................................... 2 1 9

2.1 Issues and Challenges ...........................................................................................2. -19

2.2 Summary of Work .................................................................................................2..-.2 0

2.3 Key Findings and Perspectives ............................................................................2.-..2 4

3 MATERIALS SUMMARY ........................................................................................... 2-28

3.1 Fuel Materials. ......................................................................................................2..-.2 8

3.1 . 1 Issues and Challenges ..............................................................................2..- 29

3.1.2 Summary of Work .....................................................................................2..-.3 0

3.1.3 Key Findings and Perspectives ..................................................................2..- 34

3.2 Core and Plant Structural Materials .......................................................................2.-. 35

3.2.1 Issues and Challenges ...............................................................................2. -35

3.2.2 Summary of Work ......................................................................................2.-. 37

3.2.3 Key Findings and Perspectives ..................................................................2..- 39

Prometheus Project Reactor Module Final Repott SPP-67110-0008

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3.3 Shield Materials ...................................................................................................2..-.3. 9

3.3.1 Issues and Challenges .............................................................................2.-..3 9

3.3.2 Summary of Work .....................................................................................2..-.3 9

3.3.3 Key Findings and Perspectives. .................................................................2..- 40

3.4 Reflector Materials ...............................................................................................2.-..4 1

3.4.1 Issues and Challenges .............................................................................2..-.4 1

3.4.2 Summary of Work ......................................................................................2.-. 42

3.4.3 Key Findings and Perspectives. .................................................................2..- 42

3.5 Irradiation Testing of Fuel, Fuel Elements, and Structural Materials ........................ 2-43

3.5.1 Issues and Challenges ...............................................................................2. -43

3.5.2 Summary of Work ......................................................................................2..- 43

3.5.3 Key Findings .............................................................................................2..-. 45

SHIELDING SUMMARY ............................................................................................ 2-46

4.1 Issues and Challenges ..........................................................................................2..- 48

4.2 Summary of Work ...................................................................................................2. -49

4.3 Key Findings and Perspectives ..............................................................................2. -49

PLANT SUMMARY .................................................................................................... 2-51

5.1 Issues and Challenges ...........................................................................................2. -51

5.2 Summary of Work ..................................................................................................2..- 51

5.3 Key Findings and Perspectives ............................................................................... 2-54

INSTRUMENTATION AND CONTROL SUMMARY .................................................. 2-59

6.1 Issues and Challenges ..........................................................................................2..- 59

6.2 Summary of Work ...................................................................................................2.- 62

6.3 Key Findings and Perspectives ..............................................................................2. -69

INTEGRATED SYSTEM TESTING SUMMARY ......................................................... 2-71

7.1 Issues and Challenges ........................................................................................2.-..7.1

7.2 Summary of Work ................................................................................................2..-.7. 1

7.3 Key Findings and Perspectives ............................................................................2..-.7 2

MISSION EXTENSIBILITY ......................................................................................... 2-74

8.1 Issues and Challenges .........................................................................................2..-.7 4

8.2 Summary of Work ................................................................................................2..-.7. 5

8.3 Key Findings and Perspectives .............................................................................2..- 75

8.3.1 Extensibility to Other Deep Space Missions ................................................2. -75

8.3.2 Extensibility to Moon and Mars Surface Missions ........................................ 2-76

KEY FINDINGS AND A PERSPECTIVE ON NEAR-TERM DEVELOPMENT ........... 2-78

Volume 3: Bibliography

1 INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................... 3-3

2 NRPCT Documents ..................................................................................................... 3-3

NRPCT Subcontracted Reports ................................................................................. 3-6

3.1 Program Management and Support .........................................................................3..- 6

3.2 Reactor Module Reactor Segment ...........................................................................3.-. 6

3.3 Reactor Module Primary Plant Segment ..................................................................3..- 8

3.4 Reactor Module Shield Segment .............................................................................3..- 9

3.5 Reactor Module Instrumentation and Control Segment ............................................3. -9

3.6 Reactor Module Integrated Testing ........................................................................3..- 10

3.7 Reactor Module Safety and Mission Assurance ......................................................3. -11

3.8 Reactor Module Materials Test and Evaluation ......................................................3. -12

Prometheus Project Reactor Module Final Report SPP-67110-0008

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Reactor Module Reactor Segment ....................................................................... 315

4.1 Heat Transfer ....................................................................................................3..-.1..5.

4.2 Silicon Carbide ......................................................................................................3..- 16

4.3 Other Reactor Design .........................................................................................3..-.1..7

4.4 Manufacturing ....................................................................................................3..-.2..1

Reactor Module Primary Plant Segment ................................................................ 3-21

5.1 Prometheus Requirements ..................................................................................3..-.2. 1

5.2 Historical Space Reactors ...................................................................................3..-.2. 1

5.3 Brayton Component Development. ........................................................................3..- 22

5.4 Alternator Development. ......................................................................................3..-.2. 4

5.5 Gas Foil Bearing Development ..............................................................................3..- 24

5.6 Recuperator Development. ....................................................................................3..- 24

5.7 Plant Systems .......................................................................................................3..- 25

5.8 Alternative Energy Conversion Systems - Stirling ....................................................3 -26

5.9 Alternative Energy Conversion Systems - Liquid Metal ............................................3 -27

5.10 Alternative Energy Conversion Systems - Thermoelectric ....................................... 3-28

5.1 1 China HTR I Japan HTTRJHTGR Development Efforts ............................................ 3-28

5.12 Sublimation ...........................................................................................................3..- 30

5.13 Space Structural Design Basis (SSDB) ..............................................................3 -30

Reactor Module Shield Segment ............................................................................. 3-34

Reactor Module Instrumentation and Control ........................................................ 3-34

Reactor Module Integrated Testing ......................................................................... 3-35

Reactor Module Safety and Mission Assurance .................................................... 3-35

Reactor Module Ground Test Reactor .................................................................... 3-36

Reactor Module Materials Test and Evaluation ..................................................... 3-37